OP/ED

Op-Ed: Igniting The Spark Through Volunteering

by

By JOHN KLEINDIENST
DAV (Disabled American Veterans)
National Voluntary Services Director

My personal journey into volunteering began in 2013 when I flew home to Texas to be by my grandpa’s side before he died.

Grandpa was an Army veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and was forever changed by service. His kidneys and liver were shutting down because of the effects of toxic exposure. He knew his time was short, and wanted to spend his remaining time at home, not in a hospital. 

We set him up with home hospice care. He died peacefully not long after. It was then, sitting by his side, that I realized how Read More

Op-Ed: Dangerous Left Turning At Anderson Overlook

by

By ROBERT BOURQUE
Los Alamos

A couple of days ago I was heading down the hill following another vehicle. Upon reaching the first turn at Anderson Overlook, that vehicle tried to turn left into it, but needed to stop for oncoming vehicles. I stopped suddenly and the vehicle behind me slammed on its brakes, barely missing rear-ending me.

There are barricades preventing such dangerous turns near the high school, the hospital and the North Mesa roundabout.

But why are there not such barricades at the most dangerous of all – the Anderson Overlook. In fact, that entire S-turn should have them. Read More

Trask: Denish’s Diatribe On Musk A Misguided Hit Piece

by

By CHARLIE TRASK
Los Alamos

At the end of her Op-Ed, Diane Denish recommends that we speak up and push back against Elon Musk. Well, SURPRISE, I’m going to push back on Denish and the failure of our Democrat leadership. I’m urging our normal citizens to stand up for America.

Denish has thrown her/their cards on the table. She tells us that the world’s smartest person is a racist, bullied kid, non-engineer, Trump donor, user of drugs, father, emotionless, adolescent user of “X”, empathy-less, lover of chaos, and a multitude of other unfounded liberal innuendos and lies.

This is such a standard play Read More

Op-Ed: Yet Another Misguided Gun Ban – SB 279

by

Figure: All of these AR-15 variants would remain unaffected, but others would be subject to retroactive registration requirements that could make you a felon if you did it wrong.Courtesy/Michael Ham

By MICHAEL HAM
Los Alamos

As a New Mexican who generally votes Democratic for their economic and personal freedom agenda, I dread the repeated efforts by some of the party’s legislators to criminalize law-abiding gun owners—not for any wrongdoing, but simply by changing the law. SB 279 is the latest misguided attempt, transforming legal gun ownership into a crime through technicalities riddled Read More

Op-Ed: Nation’s Report Card Should Be A Warning

by

By CARTER SWANSON
Policy Analyst
Opportunity for All Kids

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as “The Nation’s Report Card”, was released in January. Released every two years, this report provides the most comprehensive data on educational performance nationwide. It is a stark reminder of what SHOULD be the most important issue facing New Mexico’s Legislature and Governor. Unfortunately, the results barely garnered media attention in New Mexico. 

For the last two reports, 2022 and 2024, New Mexico has been 52nd (behind all 50 states, plus the District of Read More

Op-Ed: New Mexico’s Failure To Join Interstate Compacts Reduces Access To Health Care

by

By KRISTINA FISHER
Associate Director, Think New Mexico

Nearly every New Mexican has experienced the harmful effects of our state’s worsening health care worker shortage, from struggling to find a doctor to waiting months for urgently needed care.

The good news is that state lawmakers have an opportunity to take one simple step that would immediately improve access to health care: joining the majority of other states that participate in interstate compacts for doctors and other health care workers. There are 10 major compacts for health care workers, yet New Mexico only participates in one Read More

Sigmon: HB342 & SB527 Will Be Good For New Mexico

by

By LANCE SIGMON
Principal
Allen Sigmon Real Estate Group

As a past chair and current board member of NAIOP New Mexico, I am recommending legislators pass HB342 & SB527, which will provide equitable property tax reform for non-residential real estate. I’m a registered Republican. Many of the Assessors across the state are Democrats. I’ve been complaining to my wife about the divisiveness and partisanship our country and communities have been engaged in. Instead of complaining about divisiveness, we wanted to be an example to the state of how compromise could actually work.

Instead of Read More

Op-Ed: About Those Smith’s Marketplace Complaints…

by

By TOBIAS HAAG
Los Alamos

I found this letter interesting for a variety of reasons. I have a few perspectives on why LA County decided to allow the only Smith’s Marketplace in New Mexico to operate in Los Alamos. It should be noted that I am not a Smith’s employee, and my comments do not represent the beliefs of the organization.

I have worked in retail and retail management for 17 years, split evenly between Los Alamos and surrounding areas. I am going to say some things that will undoubtedly irritate some of you readers, so please understand I am in no way a representative of Smith’s or Kroger.

My first Read More

Op-Ed: Calling On Elected Officials To Honor Oath

by

By CELINA STEWART
CEO
League of Women Voters of the United States

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Celina Stewart issued the following statement in response to actions taken by the new administration and the impact on voters.

“In the first 17 days of the Trump administration, we’ve witnessed nothing short of the weaponization of government against Americans. The callousness of the most recent actions, including the terrorizing of the immigrant community, shows a blatant disregard for the well-being of the American people. We’ve seen the weakening Read More

Op-Ed: Be A Warrior For Democracy!

by

By GEORGE CHANDLER
Los Alamos

On Saturday Feb. 22 at noon, Chair Andrea Determan will convene the Democratic Party of Los Alamos County at the Unitarian Church on North Sage Loop. First the three wards (North Townsite, South Townsite, and White Rock) will meet to elect ward officers and members of the Central Committee. Then the new Central Committee will meet to elect County officers (Chair, vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) and at-large members of the State Central Committee. Takes usually about two – three hours. You can attend, vote, and run for any of the positions if you are a registered Read More